Improvement in carriage-springs



I. CUNNINGHAM.

Carriage-Spring.

Pate hted Sept. 21, 1875.

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MPEIERS, PHOTOUTHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON. D. C

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CUNNINGHAM, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-SPRINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,991, datedSeptember 21, 1875; application filed August 30, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES CUNNINGHAM, of the city of Rochester, in thecounty of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Carriage-Springs; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to' the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of the springs, with thecarriage-body and side bars removed from place. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, showing the spring attached to the side bar.v Figs. 3, 4, 5,and 6 are detail views.

My improvement relates to side-bar carriages in which side springs andcross-springs, united at their corners, are used to support thecarriage-body. The invention consists of a peculiar corner-connectionfor said springs, as hereinafter described.

A A are the side springs, and B B are the cross-springs. These are flatsprings made of steel, and re-enforced by one or more leaves, ifdesired, to give proper strength. They are connected at the corners soas to form a rectangular spring-frame, as shown in Fig. 1, whichsupports the carriagebody. 0 O are the side bars, of which one is usedon each side, secured on top the center of the side spring by clips 9 g,or other suitable connections, as shown in Fig. 2. This is the usualarrangement in carriages of this class. In' order to allow proper endplay of the side springs on the end springs as they are depressed, Iemploy a-pecul'iar corner-connection, as follows: The ends of the sidesprings, after they cross the end springs, are bent down at rightangles,'as shown at a a, thereby forming stops, which prevent the sidesprings from being drawn back over the end springs when the side springsreact. That portion of the end springs on which the side springs rest ismade convex or rounding in cross-section, as shown at b in Figs. 3 and5, so that, as the side springs rise or fall, they-rook upon the curvedsurfaces b, thereby giving easy motion, preventing binding, andobviating wear and twisting of the end spring Where the side springcomes. The ends of the springs thus crossing are secured by aflat clip,E, or equivalent, which embraces the side spring, but allows it to movefreely, and is bolted fastto the end spring, as clearly springs, and theflat clipor equivalentfastenin g E, whereby the parts are-retained inplace, but still allowed free movement. By this means a stop orfastening to prevent the withdrawal of the side springs is produced bythe simple bending of the spring itself; a selfadjusting rocking surfaceis also produced,

which prevents wear and strain, and the whole is retained in trueposition by the clip fastening without danger of detachment. The deviceis simple, cheap, and effective. In ordinary springs of this kind thecorners of the springs are bolted or riveted through, which causestwisting and strain, and prevents the proper play of the springs. Theside bars 0 0 have at each end, on the under side, a nipple or block, f,of rubber, or equivalent material, which forms a bumper to preventstriking of the clips that secure the body-loops upon the side spring.These blocks break all shocks.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is Thecombination, with the side spring A and cross-spring B, of the bent enda of the side spring, the curved bearing 1) of the crossspring, and theclip E, securing the said parts together, the whole arranged to operatein the manner and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES GUN N IN GHAM.

Witnesses AUGUSTUS FRENCH, JEREMIAH GooDsPEED.

